What Was, and What Could Have Been
by SheriMeister
Summary: "Ayakashi-sama!" "Nurarihyon-sama!" "Rihan-sama!" "Rihan-san!" "Rikuo-sama!" "Nura-kun." "Rikuo-kun!" This story is collection of oneshots featuring the hetero pairings of the three heirs of the Nura Clan. "Yuuki-onna are not destined for warmth, but Nurarihyon-sama, you did bring a ray of light to my life." Chapter 2: NurarihyonxSetsura
1. Because of You

*~What Was, and What Could Have Been~*

A Collection of Nurarihyon no Mago Couples Oneshots

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**Hey all! Welcome to my collection of oneshots for all hetero pairs for all three heirs of the Nura Clan! If you like certain pairings but don't like others, then you can choose which chapter to read. All chapters will be written in the girls' POVs. ^^ Enjoy reading the first chapter!**

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_**Because of You**_

**~NurarihyonxYo-hime~**

Yo-hime POV

I felt suffocated. My father only thought about money and kept me under tight security as if I was a caged bird. A bird should be able to spread its wings and fly. I however, am confined to a space where I no longer have control of my life. This cannot change. This is my destiny.

At least, that was what I thought before I met him.

Known as Nurarihyon, he is the Supreme Commander of the most powerful youkai clan, the Nura Clan. I have been told that youkai are dangerous, but when I met Ayakashi-sama, I concluded that it was not always true.

The youkai that Ayakashi-sama has introduced to me are all as human as we are. They all have feelings and manners just like we, humans, do. That night, I had a taste of what it feels like to escape from my solitary life.

"Yo-hime, what are you doing?"

I turn around to see my husband, the Supreme Commander of the Nura Clan, Nurarihyon. The light of the full moon illuminates his approaching figure and the darkness around us emphasizes the golden glow of his eyes. "Ayakashi-sama," I whisper.

"Is something bothering you?" he asks, wrapping his arms around my waist, from the back. I reach behind me and lightly place my hand on his cheek. He is always so gentle towards me, treating me as if I am a delicate doll.

"No. I was just thinking about the time when I met you," I answer. He moves his head closer to the side of my head. His breath feels warm on my cheeks. "A-Ayakashi-sama?" As fast as lightening, he nips my left ear and jumps back, laughing happily.

"A-Ayakashi-sama! Wh-Wh-Wh," I stammer uncontrollably. My face was burning up, embarrassed at this act of affection.

"Yo-hime, you are too sensitive," Ayakashi-sama teases. "Try to calm down. After all, we are going to lie together soon." He grins slyly. I must admit, his smile, his eyes, and everything about him makes him extremely…handsome.

"Y-Yes," I squeak, burying my face in my hands. How am I so embarrassed over a small thing like this? We are husband and wife, but I am still…

I lift up my head, only to be face to face with Ayakashi-sama. Our noses were lightly touching, his eyes on the same level as mine, and he had a wide grin on his face. I do not know if my face can get any redder than it already is. He places one of his hands on my back, the other behind my knees and lifts me up.

"Yo-hime, your face is still beautiful no matter how embarrassed you are. The moonlight only highlights your beauty."

How can Ayakashi-sama praise me so easily? He brings his face closer and closer to mine and places his forehead on mine. His golden eyes are shining with affection. Sometimes I wonder if a human such as myself is even suitable to be Ayakashi-sama's wife. I feel like he showers me with so much more affection than I can ever show. He never hesitates to say what is on his mind and I get so easily embarrassed about it.

I cup Ayakashi-sama's cheek with my hand. "Ayakashi-sama, I admire and envy you. You always compliment me and you are never embarrassed about anything."

He chuckles. "Yo-hime, it is only because you are the one I'm praising. Your beauty really is unrivaled." He then closes the distance between our lips, giving me one long kiss.

Right then, I feel protected and loved; loved for who I am. His feelings are all conveyed in that one kiss we share now. He pulls away and smiles at me. I say, "Ayakashi-sama, you make me feel like I can do anything."

"Do I?" He asks, teasingly. His grin widening, he continues, "Then let us go back to the main house, to my room."

"E-Eh?" I stammer. "F-For…"

Ayakashi-sama chuckles. "We are husband and wife, aren't we, Yo-hime?"

Saying so, he, carrying me, dashes back to the main house. I feel like my face is about to overheat, but it does not matter. I love him; I truly love him. He is the one who released me from my prison and showed me freedom. He is the one who loves me for who I am instead of for my powers. I can finally spread my wings and fly wherever I want, whenever I want. It's all possible because of you. My beloved Ayakashi-sama…I owe you my whole life for introducing me to freedom.

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**The first chapter's done! =D Like I said, I'll be writing oneshots for each pairing one by one. This is the list of pairings in order of their chapters.**

**NurarihyonxYohime (Chapter 1) **

**NurarihyonxSetsura (Chapter 2)**

**RihanxYamabuki Otome (Chapter 3)**

**RihanxWakana (Chapter 4) **

**RikuoxTsurara (Chapter 5) **

**RikuoxYura (Chapter 6) **

**RikuoxKana (Chapter 7) **

**Since all possible hetero pairings for all three heirs of the Nura clan are written in a collection of oneshots, hopefully everyone will be satisfied! =) **

**Stay tuned for Chapter 2, NurarihyonxSetsura! **

**~ SheriMeister **


	2. Not Destined for Warmth

*~ What Was, and What Could Have Been~*

A Collection of Nurarihyon no Mago Couples Oneshots

**Welcome back! Chapter 2 is finally here. I hope you all enjoy! (Btw, I'm curious…are there many fans of SetsuraxNurarihyon? I'm a fan of Yo-himexNurarihyon myself, but I think SetsuraxNurarihyon's cute too =D) **

**Again, if you, readers, don't like a certain pairing, you don't have to read that chapter. For instance, I know that many people dislike (or actually hate) RikuoxKana. That's going to be the last chapter, so if some people don't like it, there's no need to read it. =) **

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**_Not Destined for Warmth_**

**~ NurarihyonxSetsura~**

Setsura's POV

Winter- my favorite time of the year. For a Yuuki-onna like me, winter is perfect; the cold is perfect. Beautiful snowflakes lazily drift down from the sky, covering the tree branches, and the compound of the Nura Clan's main house. Yes, winter is beautiful, but also bleak, and the word "bleak" is exactly the right word to describe our clan's first master right now.

"Nurarihyon-sama." With a teapot and a cup on a tray balanced on my palms, I approach our clan leader's room cautiously. Ever since his beloved wife, Yo-hime, died, he hadn't even shown himself to us, the _yokai _of his _Hyakki Yakku_. It had already been several months since her death, and he still has not even peeped out of that damned room of his. If it was not for our new master, Rihan-sama, the Nura Clan may be crumbling to dust by now. "Nurarihyon-sama," I call again. "I have brought you some tea."

I hear a heavy sigh from inside. I was starting to become frustrated. This act of his is starting to get old. What was so special about that human girl? What did he see in her that made him claim her as his right in front of all of us? I find it hard to believe that the death of mere human girl has brought our commander down this easily.

"Yuuki-onna."

I stand there obediently, waiting for whatever he orders me to do. I'm pretty sure he will just send me away, just like he did all the other times I have tried to talk to him.

"You can leave the tea there. I'm not in the mood right now," he grumbled.

As I expected. I let out an irritated grunt and growl, "Nurarihyon-sama, it's about time you get out of that room and lead us once more." Because of my sour mood, the cold winter air around me gets even colder. "And your tea is getting cold," I add.

I hear another exasperated sigh, and a lot of shuffling around, which is him probably trying to get up. Soon after, the shoji doors slide open, bit by bit, as if they haven't been used in quite a while. A small gasp escapes my lips when I see how…worn out the commander has gotten. His long hair is disheveled, his cheeks look hollow, and short strands of hair are forming around his mouth. I cannot help but stare at what has become of our commander. I must admit, the commander still strikingly handsome, but how in the world can a mere human girl affect him so much?

"Yuuki-onna," Nurarihyon-sama whispers, in a raspy voice. I find out then, that he has had his hands outstretched, asking for the tray of tea.

Deciding to not give the tray to him just yet, I balance the tray on one of my hands and put my other hand on the shoji door. "Nurarihyon-sama, let me in."

The commander tears his gaze away from mine slowly. "Sorry Yuuki-onna. I really don't want others invading my persona space right now."

I snap right there and then. Strands of my long hair levitate as the air around me cools once more. The cold breeze soon turns a bit stormy as more and more snow continue to gather around. "Nurarihyon-sama," I growl, syllable by syllable. "I can see that the human girl…"

"Yo-hime," the commander interrupts.

I twitch. "Fine, Yo-hime, was a very, very, very important person to you, but you cannot let her death ruin you like this." When he does not reply I threaten, "Do you want me to freeze your room as well, Nurarihyon-sama?"

He utters another heavy sigh. "I knew that day would come, but I did not expect it to be so soon."

I close my eyes and try to calm myself down, letting the atmosphere return to its normal temperature. Opening my eyes, I suggest, "Let's have some tea."

Nurarihyon-sama knows that he cannot fight back right now. Giving me a look of defeat, he gestures to come inside. Taking off my sandals, I step into the commander's room. It looked exactly as it had before he locked himself in.

I observe the whole room, taking in everything there is about Nurarihyon-sama's territory. I shake my head slowly. It's useless now, Setsura. Nurarihyon-sama is completely infatuated with that human girl. I am a Yuuki-onna. I was not destined for any kind of warmth, and that included the feeling of being loved. I loved, and still love, Nurarihyon-sama, but I cannot compare with the human girl, Yo-hime.

"Setsura, you can sit down." Snapping back to reality, I notice that Nurarihyon-sama was already seated.

I place the tray on top of the _kotatsu_and sit down. Nurarihyon-sama had his legs under the warm blanket covering the table, but as a Yuuki-onna, I prefer not to be warm. "Nurarihyon-sama, you have **got** to return to your old self. It has already been several months. Is this much time not enough?" The commander lowered his eyes. I continue, "What happened to our supreme commander? The one who was not afraid to take risks? The one who was always up to mischief? The one who always had a grin plastered to his face?"

"I'm sorry, Yuuki-onna, but Yo-hime's death was…"

I immediately interrupt him. "Yes, it was unexpected, and yes, it was too soon. However, Nurarihyon-sama, you should at least show your face once in a while. The other _yokai_ are worried about you too. You were the one who assembled this _Hyakki Yakku_, so please, do not make me or the others worry too much."

A deep chuckle is forced from his lips. "Yuuki-onna, have you even felt the remorse of losing a loved one?"

I sit there, frozen in place. The commander is right. I actually have not felt the sadness he is feeling now. Assuming my silence is a no, Nurarihyon-sama continues, "It's as if a thousand knives have pierced your heart and brain, paralyzing both of them. The brain can't accept the death, yet the heart grieves over the dead body." He then reaches for his precious pipe, lights it up, and sticks it in his mouth.

Lost for words, I wrap my fingers around the handle of the teapot, place my other hand at the bottom of the pot, and fluidly pour out the tea into the empty cup. "Please, drink up," I offer, pushing the cup towards him, as I can't hold anything hot for too long.

"Thanks, Yuuki-onna." Nurarihyon-sama sips the tea quietly. A few moments pass in silence, with neither one of us starting a conversation.

"Nurarihyon-sama," I finally speak. "Please, come outside with me."

I push myself off of the floor and walked to the door. Nurarihyon-sama follows me; his movements a bit sluggish and his eyes still dull. Not even the ghost of a smile is visible on his face. Not wanting to witness this… bleak mood anymore, I do what I have not done in a long, long time. I wrap my fingers around Nurarihyon-sama's wrist and forcefully drag him out. As I run, I look back at him. At least he isn't protesting.

Once I have reached the large compound, I loosen my grip and let Nurarihyon-sama's wrist go. "Look, Nurarihyon-sama."

Snowflakes are still falling, slowly and steadily, adding to the pile of snow already covering the ground. I study his expression as he takes in the sight around him. First his face shows the same dull look, but then it slowly changes to one of surprise. "It's…beautiful," were the first words out of the commander's lips.

"Winter is a time when nothing thrives," I state. "Nothing is active during winter. The trees shake off their leaves, some plants die, and some animals go into hibernation." When I feel a smile tugging on my lips, I turn to Nurarihyon-sama and deliver that smile. "But it doesn't mean that everything about winter is dark. Just look around you, Nurarihyon-sama!" I run forward, treading in the snow and throwing my hands up. "The sight is just breathtaking!"

Our commander has an even more surprised look on his face. All of a sudden, he bursts out laughing! "Wh-What's so funny?" I ask.

Once his laughter dies down, he replies, "You just seem out of character, Yuuki-onna."

" I can be happy when I want," I growl defensively. "Well at least you laughed," I add with a slight smile.

I'm glad. I know Nurarihyon-sama can't return to his old self just because of this one thing, but it's a start. Before I know it, a sigh escapes from my lips. I envy the human girl. She loved Nurarihyon-sama, and he loved her back. I have loved my commander for a much longer time than she has, but I am not loved back. I guess…this is my destiny. I am a Yuuki-onna. I am a harbinger of the cold, enemy of the warmth. They say being loved makes you feel warm. Perhaps it is because of this that I can love, but not receive love.

"Is something bothering you, Yuuki-onna?" Nurarihyon-sama's voice brings me back, out of my thoughts.

"You're an idiot," I answer.

The perplexed commander blinked. "Excuse me?"

"You're an idiot," I repeat.

Before he can react, I slide on the snow, up to him, and press a quick kiss on his lips. They are warm from the tea he drank.

Nurarihyon-sama quickly touches his mouth. "My lips are cold now," he complains.

I roll my eyes. "At least it didn't kill you. Now, no more brooding. Back to your idiotic, reckless, and happy self."

I push him back towards the main house. He looks back at me and smiles. "Thanks, Setsura, for trying to cheer me up."

I stop pushing him and bring my gaze to the snow covered ground. He just called me by my first name again, after a really long time. I can feel my face burning just thinking about it! This is not healthy for a Yuuki-onna.

"D-Don't call me by my first name now, Nurarihyon-sama," I stutter. _"Or else I will never be able to let you go."_ I mentally add.

"Alright," he coolly said. "Again, thanks." Saying so, our commander walked back to the main house himself, greeting any of his fellow _yokai_ that passed by.

Yes, this is for the best. A Yuuki-onna is best suited with the cold. Although, Nurarihyon-sama, you did bring a little warmth into my life. If I did not fall in love with you, I would have been buried in the cold, with not a ray of light. I thank you for letting me join your _Hyakki Yakku_. I'm glad…you were the one I fell in love with.

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**Well, this chapter was certainly longer than the first one. Writing this chapter was…surprisingly easier than I thought! Although it was hard to keep Setsura in character while she was trying to cheer her commander up. =) Lol sorry if Setsura was OOC. -_-' Please...**

**Review!**

**Review!**

**Review!**

**Stay tuned for Chapter 3: RihanxYamabuki Otome **


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